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54 of 56 found the following review helpful:
 A Romantic Fantasy That Works Aug 03, 2001
By Reviewer
In the tradition of the best films that Hollywood ever had to offer comes this refreshingly honest movie that isn't afraid to say that you don't have to be rich, hip and cynical to be successful and happy with your life. "The Family Man," directed by Brett Ratner, stars Nicolas Cage as Jack Campbell, a man who took the "road less traveled," and turned his back on love for a career on Wall Street, and thirteen years later still doesn't realize how empty and shallow his life has become. Then something happens; on Christmas Eve, Jack does a good turn to the right person at the right time. His name is Cash (Don Cheadle), and he just happens to be a guy with, well, connections. And the next thing Jack knows, he's getting a "glimpse" of what his life would have been had he made a different choice all those many years ago. When he wakes up on Christmas morning, he's not in his bed in his penthouse apartment, but in a house in the suburbs, sleeping next to Kate Reynolds (Tea Leoni), the woman he once loved, but abandoned. Wall Street is history; he's now a crackerjack tire salesman at "Big Ed's," and he and Kate have two kids, Annie (Makenzie Vega) and Josh (Jake and Ryan Milkovich). Needless to say, Jack is confused; and the enigmatic Cash isn't about to let him in on what's going on-- that's for Jack to figure out on his own. So Jack has no choice but to go on living his life-- even if it's not really "his" life. And it becomes a journey of discovery; not only for Jack, but for the audience, as well. And what follows may be fantasy, but it's fantasy with a message, from some filmmakers who aren't afraid to tell it like it is, and they do it well. What director Roth presents you with is an examination of what life is really all about, and what-- in the final analysis-- is really important. And make no mistake, this isn't a film that aims for the head, it aims for the heart, scores a bullseye and doesn't apologize for it. Is it pure, true, realistic, riveting drama? Of course not, and it never pretends to be. What it is, is a film that stays true to what it's all about and says some things that need to be said in this fast-food, cybersaturated world of the here and now. It's a poignant, well made and well acted film that appeals to the universal sensibilities that in one way or another reside within even the most jaded, modernized and "New Aged" individuals. Because it's an entreaty to the most basic of human needs and concerns. Cage was the perfect choice to play Jack; he's got a natural, sympathetic look that makes him easy to like, and combined with the emotional aspect he brings to the character it makes Jack someone to whom it is so easy to relate. it's a performance that allows you to feel something; and that's really what this movie is all about, capturing that sense of humanity that is so often lacking in people's lives today. Cage makes it work, and he makes it work beautifully, because he lets you share Jack's frustration, his loss, his fears and, most importantly, the hope and the love he ultimately realizes has been missing in his life. It's a challenging role that Cage not only met, but surpassed with just the kind of exacting performance that was needed to put this story across. Tea Leoni gives an excellent performance, as well, as Kate. It's a sensitive, sympathetic portrayal that serves the character and the story with great effectiveness. Leoni makes something special out of a character that could've been just the "female lead," with the purpose of being nothing more than the means of moving the story of Jack's self-discovery along. Instead, she makes it her story as much as his by making Kate an endearing, truly integral part of the film, and she fairly sparkles on the screen. The supporting cast includes Jeremy Piven (Arnie), Saul Rubinek (Alan), Josef Sommer (Peter), Lisa Thornhill (Evelyn), Harve Presnell (Big Ed), Mary Beth Hurt (Adelle) and Francine York (Lorraine). There's no doubt that personal experience and frame of reference is going to play a big part in the way "The Family Man" is received by the audience. But Ratner, Cage, Leoni and everyone else connected with this project are to be commended for making an honest, heart-felt film with an important message about life in today's world. It's a film that says success isn't just being the guy at the top of the heap, that it's okay to just "be" whomever or whatever you are, as long as it's what makes you happy and content. It's a bold statement for a filmmaker to make today, and we can only hope that more artists will have the guts to make more movies like this in the future.
67 of 72 found the following review helpful:
Hollywood gets it right for a change! Aug 12, 2001
By thecastlebookroom
"thecastlebookroom"
If, like me, you find most Hollywood "love" stories about as warm and romantic as a cold sleepless night in Seattle, then you're in for a surprise. Not since Casablanca have I enjoyed a love story as much, and though they both end at the airport, the similarity ends there. This one is about marriage, family, and the connections and sacrifices that make marriage, parenthood and yes, love, worthwhile. Nicolas Cage plays a harried but driven Wall Street executive playboy who wakes one day to find himself trapped in a life he never wanted, married to the woman he abandoned years ago. It's a living nightmare at first, but the harder he tries to escape it, the more he begins to see that there are values and rewards that he somehow missed in his previous executive penthouse lifestyle. By the end of the movie, he's learned a lesson he will never forget. An unexplainable fantasy in the tradition of "Groundhog Day", you soon find yourself accepting the unexplainable, even as the protagonist himself realizes there is no easy escape from his new reality, and learns to work within it's framework. After all, life throws all of us some unexpected "curves", and like the protagonist in this modern day Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Suburban Bowling League, we can become better people by accepting and embracing the crazy things life puts us through in the name of love. Chalk one up for old-fashioned family values in a feel-good movie with a message, served up without the sappy cliches. Put the kids to bed early (The Family Man deals with some adult issues, and much as I enjoyed it, it would need a little editing before I would consider it a family film!), and just the two of you watch this one together with a bowl of popcorn and a glass of wine - you'll be glad you did!
18 of 18 found the following review helpful:
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL May 10, 2001
By Andy Radke
I saw this movie in the theatre just after Christmas and I have to say it is one of the best romantic drama/fantasy movies I've ever seen. Nicolas Cage proves once again that his acting skills are second to none, and I don't think I've seen Tea Leoni in a better role. Cage's character, a rich, hard-working businessman with no time for a real relationship comes across his ex-finacee's phone number after he chose to leave her in order to accept a job offer years before. A 'guardian angel' of sorts gives him the chance to take a glimpse of how his life would be if he didn't get on that plane. And the result is phenomenal. This is a movie for anyone who has ever wondered, "What if I made different choices in life." Why this movie wasn't nominated for an Oscar is beyond me, but it is indeed a great film which the whole family will surely enjoy.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
 Materialism vs. Love Oct 04, 2004
By J. McAndrew
"Jeffrey C. McAndrew"
Although it is written for the general populace, this film does shed light on the meaning of life and the age old question of "Is it better to have power or have love?" Love vs. Materialism. Nicholas Cage does a good job in the lead role, realizing what his life could have been, only if he had taken the less greedy path.
Watch this movie with your teenagers, it's not bad.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
The Two Difficult Choices - Family or Career? May 05, 2002
By jyosefin
Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) was a highly sucessful wallstreet businessman. Thirteen years ago, he had left his college girlfriend, Kate Reynolds (Téa Leoni), to study law in the UK. Despite how hard she tried to convince him to stay, he had decided to leave. They never kept in contact after that. Jack went to bed on Christmas eve and woke up on Christmas morning in a noisy house with a wife and two kids. Apparently, this was the alternate life that he would lead if he had not left for studies 13 years ago and stayed to marry Kate. He slowly discovered the importance and joy of having a family in the rest of the movie. When Jack returned to his real life, he went to look for Kate, hoping to start afresh with her. Kate had long gotten over Jack and was in the midst of packing up to leave for Paris to work. Jack tried hard to get her to stay. This is a heart-warming movie, especially during the parts when Jack was searching out his role as a family man. The current ending can be improved if it shows a scene where Jack and Kate live happily together as a family.
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